Landings: Part 1 Landings: Part 2 Landings: Part 3 The Battle of Bergen; right column The Commander in Chief of the Anglo-Russian troops, the Duke of York, had ordered daybreak as the time for the simultaneous attack of all columns. As may be clear this could be interpreted in many different ways. So the attacks of the various columns were made at different times. Before daylight the Russians of the right column advanced. At 02.30am Major General Southoff started with the Advance Guard, followed one hour later by Lieutenant General Hermann with the main force. Southoff advanced with his troops from Petten along the Sanddike and took Kamp without much fighting (a). Hermann advanced along the Slaperdike, took the entrenchment at the French side, and the village Groet where at the entrance a field gun was captured (b). The French, who were fully surprised by the unexpected attack, didn't resist long, but retreated to the open terrain in the direction of the Kanaal van Alkmaar. The Russian troops were now in great disorder. They had to advance in the dark by narrow roads. They couldn't recognise their own troops, and in many occasions fired on each other. In spite of their disorder the main force under Hermann rashly continued their advance to Schoorl, taking heavy losses from the French troops now on their left wing (c). The French there used the cover of hedges and bushes to place their skirmishers, and these maintained a heavy fire on the Russians who were advancing in front of their positions. The Russians of Southoff in the meanwhile after their taking of Kamp had advanced southwest into the dunes (d), and now mistook the Russians on the road to Schoorl for the French because of the heavy firing (from the French skirmishers) in their direction. And they also opened fire on the unfortunate Russians of the main force. These were still advancing slowly, firing left and right, and without any order. Adding to the already great confusion was the arrival of the second part of the main force, the brigade of Major General Darbinioff. These troops mingled with the already disordered troops, but still they continued their advance. They took Schoorl, and then advanced to Bergen (e). At Bergen General Gouvion didn't expect the Russians at all. He didn't receive a message about the Russian attack, and at Bergen the French couldn't hear the firing because of the strong southwest wind. So when he realised the Russians were coming, he hastily assembled his troops and took up position some kilometres in front of Bergen. The Russians at that place had to advance some 800 paces along a straight avenue. There Gouvion positioned a battery of 2 guns, covered by infantry and cavalry, and at both sides of the avenue he posted skirmishers. So when the Russians arrived, they were stopped by heavy fire from the battery in front and the skirmishers on both flanks. Hermann now had to wait for the arrival of his own artillery. This took some time, because of the heavy terrain and the weariness of the horses, who had to pull the guns already a long way. At the arrival of the artillery Hermann resumed the attack, and after some fighting at 08.00am succeeded in capturing Bergen. The French troops retreated to the south. At Bergen all order was gone. And the Russian troops, already fighting and advancing under fire for many hours, started to plunder. Hermann realised it wouldn't be long before the French would counter-attack, so he feverishly tried to rally his troops and to make them ready for the defence, while he waited for the arrival of the reserve, the 8th British Brigade under Major General Manners. Manners had received the order from Hermann to follow the Russian main force. But, advancing along the Slaperdike, Manners brigade encountered behind Groet part of the French troops that initially retreated in the direction of the Kanaal of Alkmaar, and attacked these troops. Seeing that these were retreating in the direction of Schoorldam, he decided to follow them (f). There he became embroiled with part of Dumonceau's troops, and couldn't be of any use for Hermann for the next hours. Gouvion reported the loss of Bergen to Brune in Alkmaar. Brune, who didn't leave Alkmaar the whole day, ordered his reserve at Alkmaar to advance and attack Bergen (g), and ordered Vandamme at Egmond to attack with his troops (h). At this moment all the luck was on the Franco-Batavian side. The attack of the reserve from direction of Alkmaar coincided with the attack of the Vandamme, who advanced from Egmond aan Zee, dispelled the disordered Russians from the dunes and attacked Bergen from the west and the attack of the rallied troops from Gouvion and Rostollant. The Batavian 1st and 3rd Bat/6th H.B. under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Antony Benedict Carteret, who came from Koedijk (see second column) attacked Bergen from the east (i). These troops arrived at about the same time at Bergen, and a simultaneous attack at 09.00am followed. The Russians were still too disordered to receive such an attack effectively, and after some fierce house to house fighting they were put to flight. Many Russians couldn't escape and were made prisoner; the Russian Commander in Chief Hermann and many other officers were made prisoner when they tried to escape by way of the dunes. His second in command, Lieutenant General Jerepsoff was killed. Major General d'Essen took command of the Russians that could escape and led them back in the direction of Schoorl, hotly pursued by the two Batavian battalions. Beside the prisoners the Franco-Batavians captured 12 guns and 7 flags. When d'Essen arrived at Schoorl he found the village occupied with Batavian troops! What had happened? Second column Lieutenant General Dumonceau was at his Head Quarters at Koedijk, where prior to the battle a pontoon-bridge was laid across the Kanaal van Alkmaar. At 05.00am he received news of the Russian attacks, and the French defeat on the Franco-Batavian left wing. He ordered the reserve (2nd Brigade, Colonel Bruce) to assemble near the pontoon-bridge, and hastened to Schoorldam. This was his most important position, because of the bridge across the Kanaal van Alkmaar. When Dumonceau arrived here he noticed the enemy was already leaving Krabbendam and advancing in the direction of Warmenhuizen (j), and he could hear by the firing that they had already advanced to behind his position on the left wing; so the chance was big that he had to evacuate Schoorldam. His first care was to prevent his troops at Warmenhuizen from being cut off, and he also decided on an attack on the enemy at his left wing, to release some pressure of the obviously hard pressed French troops. The troops that were placed on the road between Schoorldam and Warmenhuizen were the 1st and 2nd Bat/7th H.B., 2 companies jagers and 3 field guns, all commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Justinus Verhorst. Verhorst, hearing the noise of the fighting in the direction of Groet, and later Schoorl, had ordered 4 companies infantry and some jagers, all commanded by Major Charles Frederik Broman, to occupy Warmenhuizen. It was not very long that he noticed the advance of the 3 Russian battalions of Major General Zedmoradzky, who was advancing straight through the pastures to Warmenhuizen. When he received at 07.00am the order from Dumonceau to withdraw on Schoorldam, it was by now too late for the troops at Warmenhuizen; they were already cut off by the 1st Regiment British Guards, which had advanced from the direction of Tuitgenhorn (k). Major Broman had no other choice then to surrender with his troops (07.00am); the Anglo-Russians took 500 prisoners. Verhorst succeeded in his retreat to Schoorldam with all his troops and 2 field guns. To impede any quick advance by the enemy he removed all the bridges behind him. At Schoorldam in the meanwhile, Dumonceau had ordered Major David Bruce with 6 companies of grenadiers to cross the Kanaal van Alkmaar, to join a French battalion that had retreated there from Groet, and to advance in the direction of Schoorl (l). Also Lieutenant Colonel Antony Benedict Carteret was ordered to cross the Kanaal van Alkmaar with the 1st and 3rd Bat/H.B. at Koedijk, and to advance on Bergen from the east (i). At the arrival of Verhorst with his troops, he ordered Lieutenant Colonel Scato Hendrik Burs Trip with the remainder of the 4th Battalion Jagers and the Captain Jozef Jacobus van Geen with 50 men of 1st Bat/7th H.B. to support Bruce. While giving these orders, Dumonceau was hit by a bullet in the chest. After passing over the command of his Division to Major General Bonhomme, he had to leave the field. Possibly the wounding of Dumonceau was the cause of a misinterpretation of orders: instead of only 50 men, Verhorst left Schoorldam with both battalions of 7th H.B. Schoorldam now was only weakly defended. The only luck was that Verhorst first ordered Lieutenant Engineer Everard Everts to demolish the bridge. Everts succeeded in doing that, but was killed in the process. As we have already seen the second column, commanded by Lieutenant General Dundas, began the advance at daylight, so about two hours later as the right column. The 3 Russian battalions of Zedmoradzky and the 1st Regiment British Guards took Warmenhuiz en. The 3rd Regiment British Guards and 2nd Bat/5th Regiment of Foot were then directed to the east, to make contact with the third column (Lieutenant General Pulteney) (m). Now Schoorldam was attacked, from the west by the Brigade Manners (f), and from the north by the second column (n). Because of the removal of the bridges, it took some time for the second column to reach Krabbendam and the attack could not be made until 09.00am. Schoorldam was too weakly defended, and it took little time to take the village. The Duke of York immediately started repairing the bridge and hearing of the Russian debacle at Bergen, ordered the 3 Russian battalions of Zedmoradzky, the 1st Guards Brigade and the 35th Rgt Foot (commanded by Prince William) to join the Brigade Manners and stop the French pursuit. These troops now attacked the Franco-Batavian troops in Schoorl from the north and east (p), while the retreating Prussians from the right column were advancing from the south. The Franco-Batavian troops at Schoorl could do nothing but surrendered and were made prisoner, and Schoorl was captured for a second time. All attempts to rally the Russians had no effect. The terrible heat and pressure of the pursuing Franco-Batavians caused York to order the retreat at 14.30 PM. The only British troops left at Schoorldam were the 2nd Regiment Guards and the 1st Bat/5th Rgt Foot, commanded by Lieutenant General Dundas. They were supported by 3 gunboats armed with carronades in the Kanaal van Alkmaar. The Batavian troops before this position were now commanded by Lieutenant Colonel G.A. Martuschewitz (commander of the Batavian artillery). He was sent to this point by Bonhomme, with orders to act as he thought the situation made necessary. Without the support of artillery, the 2nd Bat/6th H.B., commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Anthing was ordered to attack Schoorldam. With a bayonet attack the British were dislodged from Schoorldam and thrown back across the (now repaired) bridge across the canal, were the British took positions behind a dike and in the houses. Trying to dispel the enemy from there, the Batavians took heavy losses from the musketry and the fire from the gunboats, and were thrown back. Again they attacked, and again were thrown back receiving heavy losses. Now Anthing took the flag and put himself at the head of the column. "Just follow me one more time", he roared, and with drums beating, the battalion followed him. But the flagpole was shot through, and the pole was now to short for the flag to be seen by all the men. This was noticed by Adjutant Major Teunis Kragt Visscher. He asked to carry the flag and lead the column. But the moment he had crossed the bridge, he was killed by a bullet. He fell from his horse, but the frightened animal dragged the flag in the direction of the enemy. Sergeant Westerheide saw this happen, ran after the horse, and retrieved the flag in a hail of bullets. This attack failed and a new attack was ordered. The flag was now carried by Cadet van Wartum; he too was killed. Officers and N.C.O.'s were killed; more than half the battalion were already out of action. At that moment Adjutant General Vichery arrived with the order to stop the attacks until the artillery arrived. Upon its arrival the British were forced to leave their cover and retreat. In this way the 2nd Bat/6th H.B. erased the shame caused by their behaviour in the battle of Zijpe (see part 3, second column). Third Column Also at daybreak the troops of Lieutenant General Pulteney began their advance. As planned, the 3rd Brigade (Major General Don) advanced through Dirkshorn to Oud-Karspel accompanied by Pulteney (q), while the 1st Brigade (Major General Coote) advanced through Schagen by Niedorper-verlaat to the Heer Hugowaard (r). Pulteney ordered the 2nd Bat/17th Foot to Kalverdijk to act as a reserve, and continued the advance to Oud-Karspel with the remainder of his brigade. His advance had to take place by way of a dike, the Langendijk, so narrow that only 8 men could move abreast. In front of Oud-Karspel they approached a redoubt, constructed across the Langendijk. Pulteney ordered an immediate attack on the redoubt, and this attack was made with much vigour. At the redoubt it was just about time for the change of the guards, so Colonel Crass, commander at this sector, with two whole infantry battalions, in cooperation with the French Adjutant General Durutte (added by Brune to Daendels' staff), placed his infantry behind the parapets, and let the British advance to within 30 paces. At this distance the British were received by such heavy musketry and canister, that they retreated with heavy losses. The British found cover behind the ring-dike around Bleekmeer and in a corn-field. After restoring order, Pulteney now ordered forward his artillery, and an artillery-duel followed. In spite of the heavy losses sustained, the Batavian artillery kept up the fight and managed to disable two British guns and set the caissons on fire. Pulteney now ordered a second and a third attack, but both attacks were beaten off with heavy losses for the attackers. It was clear now for Pulteney and Don that they had to wait for the advance of Coote, who could attack the Batavian position on their right wing and in the back. Pulteney didn't stay idle: Reinforced by the 3rd Guards Regiment and 2nd Bat/5th Rgt Foot he ordered Don to take the 3rd Guards and 4 companies of the 40th Rgt Foot and to try to outflank the Batavian position on their left through the heavily ditched terrain. Colonel Spencer was ordered to maintain fire on the Batavian positions with the rest of the troops, and to attack the Batavians at the right opportunity. The time was now 10.00am. Daendels at that moment was very busy. Receiving news of Dumonceau's wounding, and a request from Major General Bonhomme for reinforcements, he ordered Major General van Zuylen van Nyevelt to take with him 1st and 2nd Bat/4th H.B., the dragoon regiment and the horse artillery, and to reinforce Bonhomme. This reinforcement didn't have any effect; only three platoons of dragoons were engaged and lost a lieutenant, a corporal and 7 troopers killed, while many dragoons were wounded. In the meanwhile the 1st British Brigade under Coote, advanced by Niedorper-verlaat to the Heer Hugowaard and threatened the right flank of Daendels. At this place the Coote couldn't advance any further: All the bridges across the circular canal were removed, and on the other side of the canal Daendels had posted some infantry and artillery. Daendels, receiving message about the advance of British troops in the direction of Hoorn (the British left column) ordered a battalion to occupy Schermerhorn, and another battalion to Purmerend and Monnikendam to secure his back. After taking these precautions he moved in person to the redoubt in front of Oud-Karspel. Arriving there he found that the British artillery was totally silenced, and only some sporadic musketry made clear there were still some British troops in front of the redoubt. On his left flank there was no sign of the outflanking British troops under Don (Don had ordered his troops to lie down in the corn). At that moment he received another request from Bonhomme: his troops were attacking the British, and to aid these attacks he requested Daendels to support them by advancing also. After receiving the same request of Adjutant General Durutte and Colonel Crass, a company of grenadiers were ordered to undertake a sally and to capture the two disabled guns that were left behind by the British. This sally proved to be disastrous: as soon the grenadiers reached the open terrain in front of the redoubt, Don ordered his troops to raise and to attack the grenadiers in the flank, while at the same time Colonel Spencer attacked the grenadiers in front. The grenadiers, attacked so unexpectedly, took flight back into the redoubt. In doing this they masked the fire of the artillery. At the same moment a caisson exploded inside the redoubt, and making use of the arisen disorder, the British troops entered the redoubt with the grenadiers. The Batavians now had no chance left to stop them and Daendels ordered the retreat, leaving behind his artillery. The Batavians didn't get the chance to recover, closely pursued as they were by the British. All the Batavian troops that were placed at the side of the Langendijk behind the circular canal to watch Coote were made prisoner. In total the British made in this attack 42 officers and 1314 N.C.O.'s and soldiers prisoner. Only at the end of the Langendijk, at Broek, could the British advance (s) be stopped by the grenadier company of 1st Bat/1st H.B. and the three companies grenadiers of 4th H.B., commanded by Lieutenant Colonel James Nicolson and Major Adriaan Willem Storm de Grave. These troops were posted so that Pulteney didn't think himself strong enough to attack without reinforcements. So Pulteney tried to get Coote with his brigade across the circular canal. This took much time: because of the absence of bridging material the crossing had to take place with boats, who first had to be fetched. While the crossing was taking place Pulteney received the message of the defeat of the right and second column, and the order to retreat to the Zijpe positions. So late in the afternoon Pulteney retreated with his troops. Till that moment the Franco-Batavian position was precarious. Although on the left wing the battle was won by the Franco-Batavians, the centre was pierced by the British, who had occupied the Langendijk all the way to Broek. Because of this danger, and because Brune was angered by Daendels defeat, Daendels was ordered to recapture his lost positions. Daendels opened his attack at the same moment Pulteney started his retreat. So the retreat ing British were hotly pursued by the grenadiers, losing about a hundred men and 4 officers as prisoners. The Batavians recovered all their lost artillery, captured a field-hospital and the two disabled British guns from in front of the redoubt. Apparently the British didn't have the time or possibility to take the guns with them. Left Column As already written in part 3, the left (4th) column already advanced on the 18th, and consisted of 9,000 British under Lieutenant General Abercromby. He didn't meet any resistance on his way to Hoorn (t), because there were no troops posted east of Daendels' position. To secure this flank, Daendels had ordered a strong reconnaissance in the direction of Hoorn in the night of the 16th. The reconnaissance force consisted of a small detachment of cavalry, commanded by Cavalry Captain Sterke, and 170 men infantry from the 7th H.B. under Captain Thompson. The cavalry returned to Daendels after a short rest in Hoorn, while the infantry stayed on the request of the local commander, Major van der Mey. This was the situation when in the middle of the night of the 18th Abercromby arrived in front of the city. Two parliamentarians with a trumpeter arrived in front of the north-gate, asking the commander to come out to receive a verbal message from Abercromby. Major van der Mey, knowing what was happening, tried to gain time. Knowing he had no chance to hold the city with the few troops he had at his disposal, he at least would try to save the garrison and to let them escape to Monnikendam. In order to obtain this, he ordered Captain Thompson with him after making his troops ready to leave. By some reason Thompson didn't receive this message, and after the third demand of the parliamentarians, he opened the north-gate (with the necessary precautions) and walked out of the gate to meet the parliamentarians. With the gate nearly open a British column stormed the gate, overpowered the guard and took Major van der Mey prisoner, and after this also Captain Thompson with all his men. Hoorn was filled with troops, gazed at by the amazed civilians. Abercromby entered the city, and took possession of Hoorn in name of the King of England and the Prince of Orange. After the taking of Hoorn, Abercromby continued the advance in the direction of Purmerend (u). He found that all the bridges had been removed and the roads destroyed in many places. An attempt to advance in the direction of Schermerhorn failed also because of the same reasons (w). The Batavian engineers had done their job very well. So Abercromby was compelled to stay were he was, and wait for news from the other three columns. In the evening of the 19th, he received the order to evacuate Hoorn and to retreat to the Zijpe positions. He started his retreat the next morning at 08.00am, but it lasted till the 22nd till the last British troops left Hoorn. Aftermath The Anglo-Russian attack was beaten off with heavy losses on both sides. Losses were as follows: British: 1017 men dead, wounded or missing. Russians: 2970 men dead, wounded or missing. Total Anglo-Russian losses: 3987 men. Batavians: 1st Division (Daendels) 25 dead, 114 wounded, 1356 missing. 2nd Division (Dumonceau) 72 dead, 228 wounded, 1052 missing. Batavian artillery park 58 dead, wounded or missing. Total Batavian losses: 2905 men. French losses: 850 men. Total Franco-Batavian losses: 3755 men. The main reasons for the failure of the Anglo-Russian attack were: 1. The attacks didn't take place simultaneously. `Daybreak' is not the right way to appoint the time of attack. 2. The forces on the right wing of the Anglo-Russian army were much too weak to defeat the opposing forces. Further the reserve of the right column was moving to far behind the Russians, and couldn't give the much needed support on the right time. 3. It wasn't difficult for York to reconnoitre the terrain in the direction of Hoorn and Purmerend and to obtain information about the removal of the bridges and the demolishing of the roads. Now the column of Abercromby made a useless move on the far left wing of the Anglo-Russian army, and couldn't take part in the battle (Later York would boast that he didn't use 15,000 of his troops in this battle!). Already their was friction between the British and the Russians: The British had the opinion that the reckless advance and the bad behaviour of the Russian troops in Bergen were the cause of the defeat; the Russians had the opinion that the British had abandoned them. The mistrust that was the result would hamper all operations from now on. The opposite was the case in the Franco-Batavian army. Relations between the French and Batavians were much improved, and morale was high. The glory of the victory was increased by the capture of 7 flags and the Russian Commander in Chief Lieutenant General Hermann. Also taken were 20 guns, 6 howitzers, 18 ammunition caissons, 24 transport waggons and 4,000 muskets! In the following days some reinforcements arrived; 4 battalions and 4 squadrons French troops (3 battalions from the 22e or the 42e Demi Brigade, the sources are contradicting, 1 battalion from the 72e Demi Brigade and 4 squadrons of the 4e Regiment Chasseurs a Cheval), bringing the total Franco-Batavian strength to about 22,000 men (from these about 13,000 French). 6 Batavian battalions had received such heavy losses that they had to be abolished, and the men distributed over the other battalions. The positions, which were still the same as before the battle of the 19th, were strengthened. The Heer Hugowaard and the Geestmer-Polder were inundated, so the Anglo-British could only attack along the Langendijk, by way of Oud-Karspel. At this place the redoubt was strengthened and reinforced with other defences. The ring-dike around Bleekmeer was levelled. It was clear now for York that it was impossible to attack this place with any hope of a good result. The British fleet was still busy with troubling the Batavian coast. De Lemmer was taken, and a landing was performed at Genemiden. Also two armed vessels appeared in front of Harderwijk, and claimed the city. An Orangist, Rottiers van Duyvelande, offered York assistance to take Delfzijl with 150 Batavian deserters and a ship. He would enter the harbour of Delfzijl with the help of some civilians, and in the night the men would leave the ship and surprise the small garrison, in the same way Breda was taken from the Spaniards with the use of a peat-boat, some hundred years earlier. But York refused the offer. All these actions were a nuisance to the Batavians, but not very dangerous. It would have been much more dangerous if York had used his fleet to outflank the Franco-Batavian positions, and had landed troops in their back. This never happened. The Anglo-Russians were reinforced with some Russian troops and some British detachments, but many more men were disabled by sickness. But in spite of this York still had some 30,000 men ready to fight. So again York decided to attack. Jumbo Battle of Bergen Map (extremely slow: 497K) More Anglo-Russian Landings in Holland Landings: Part 1 Landings: Part 2 Landings: Part 3 Landings: Part 4 Landings: Part 5 Landings: Part 6 Landings: Part 7 Back to Table of Contents -- First Empire #11 Back to First Empire List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1993 by First Empire. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. 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